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Week #1 THE ARBITER

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BATMANKM

I have been trying to think of ways that I could get myself back into a regular discipline of drawing something or creating new work regularly. Stuff other then my paying work. Stuff that would be fun and of things that I like to illustrate and draw. Then it occurred to me, like everyone else Im busting for Halo 3 to come out Sept 24th. Thats a little over 12 weeks from now. So I decided to challenge myself to create one new piece, based on Halo characters, per week until the game releases. I know Im not going to have time to create a full color illustration every week for this challenge, but some weeks I should be able too. Mostly these will be sketches, roughs and concept work which is quick and rough and meant to get my idea down and to be an exercise. So this is officially my artistic challenge to my self!!! Other wise known as a much needed kick in the ass! :lol: :lol: Everyones help in keeping me diligent and focused on this by posting comments and crits will be greatly appreciated. Knowing you all are going to give me shit if I haven't done that weeks piece will help keep me motivated. :lol: :lol: I encourage any of the other members of our 2o2p community that like to create to take this challenge and create something new every week that is Halo or Halo 3 in nature. If your interested lets make it a site wide Blog challenge! I thought I would start off with individual quick portrait sketches of the main characters. So here is this weeks piece . The first in what I hope is a series of 12 Halo inspired works.

BAT

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The original pencil sketch.

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Comments (19)

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Big0ne·
Amazing work Bat! I'm immensly jealous of your talent.
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Devonsangel·
WOW!
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Gatsu·
Bat - I need some help with painting/coloring....\r \r I can never seem to get a professional look with what I'm doing. I can sketch fine. But I can't get a good finished look when I'm laying colors down.\r \r Can I get some tips from you?
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codemonkey·
Bat, if you want to promote any of your cool ass work send it to me (e-mail) and I'll get it up on gamestooge.com with links back to your site.\r \r I've been so busy with life I've not had a chance to keep up with all my social requirements, like getting artwork and such from you guys.
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BATMANKM·
Thanx Big One. Nice to hear from the Old Clan mates :-) I hope you will check back each week and let me know your thoughts. :-) Glad you likey Devonsangel :-) Gatsu, I do my color mostly in Photoshop. The key for me has always been using the layers function to its max. First I separate out the line art and make a black line art layer. Then I put down all the basic areas of color, called flats. Then on separate layers over the flats I do shading using various techniques, brushes, pen tool to select areas, gradations, adjustment layers, filters, what ever the piece or area Im working on calls for. I hope that helps :-) Monkey feel free to grab any of these weekly images Im doing and post em to gamestoog. Linking to my site is always appreciated :-) and maybe to this Blog too so that people can follow each weeks new piece. -BAT
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KingDrewsky·
Excellent work, KM. \r \r
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Gatsu·
Thanks Bat.\r \r I use photoshop alot. I guess its just color theory and whatnot I'm lacking in then. lol.\r \r I've studied and tried alot of stuff, just can never settle on one thing consistently.
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codemonkey·
Here ya go!\r http://www.gamestooge.com/2007/06/28/the-arbiter/\r
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Deman267·
Always impressed.Freakin' great.\r For your next challenge......Cortana!
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FreakMullet·
bats, I gotta say I like how you make the art still seem \"classic\" (i.e. traditional coloring, painting, etc.) with a modern program like PS. :)
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BATMANKM·
Doodie wants to put my Art Challenge on the Community portion of the site. He needs some one to do a quick interview about the project with me and write it up so he can post it for all of the site to see. If anyone would like to help out just shoot him a PM to find out what he needs and then PM me and Ill give you what ever you need too :-) Thanx King :-) Gatsu, just keep cranking out the work, eventually your style and your process will reveal itself to you. :-) Monkey thats the BOMB!!!!! Thanks dude, it looks great, much appreciated! :-) Thanks D Man, and your wish is my command, next week Cortana it is, with pleasure :-)
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BATMANKM·
Thanks Freak. I appreciate the props. :-) The key to getting PSD to look more \"classic\" is to approach it in a classic fashion. In other words create a brush that behaves like a paint brush and then just paint like it was oil on canvas and try to avoid filters and \"effects\" that make it look \"photoshoped\". Also working with a Wacom tablet rather then a mouse makes a huge difference as well. :-) - BAT
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Lbsutke·
Awesome...The only thing I might change is the front hood/helmet/thing is a little to big...Maybe slim it down a bit, and then maybe make the eye's more piercing or intense..Not that I would know how to do that..\r \r I would like to see Cortana...In the Jim Lee/Psylocke esque type of way...in other words...NICE RACK!! Ha..Ha..
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BATMANKM·
LB, yeah that head helmet is a bit \"honking\" aint it :lol: Good point Ill take a look at thinning it down if I ever bring this to a final illustration. :-) Im not a big Jim Lee fan, a bit to \"noodely\" for my taste, in that Rob Liefield kind of way, however, i am a big fan of NICE RACKS! :lol: :lol: SO rest assured Cortana will be \"healthy\" :-) Thanks for the comments LB and keep posting those covers in your Blog ever week they are inspiring!!! - BAT
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MrwhiteII·
Personally like the big grille...gives a more menacing appearance than the traitional slim-line galdiator helmet. Impressive as always Bat, looking forward to next week!
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DarthCestual·
Awsome job Bats! I dunno if I can scrape enough creative juices to get a pic a week, but I'll come up with something. lol!
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ArminK·
BATS......\r \r Incredible as always my friend. Post up an enlarged Cortana from \"The Landing\" I think the peeps forgot about that peice-----I still use it as my wall paper!!!!!\r \r Keep up the great work!! \r \r \"TUNE IN NEXT WEEK, SAME TIME, SAME BAT CHANNEL\"
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BATMANKM·
Thanks White, Im glad you like my Arbiters big grill :-) It does give em a bit of that \"Rhino\" feel though, LOL. Darth, dude that is it you have accepted the challenge! Now get to work and post up some new nuggets!!! :-) Armin great to hear from you my man !!! I miss our Halo moments, hopefully when Halo 3 hits we'll catch back up with each-other!! Im pumped to hear that the Landing Is still keeping it real as your wallpaper, I am flattered. I might just post up an enlarged Cortana as an additional image next week because there actually is allot of detail in that figure that gets lost in the smaller size image. :-)
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madwoman·
Yeah, that is awesome Bats! I am so \"Paint Shop Pro\" challenged! ;) I agree that your next should be Cortona as well.....maybe put my head on her body....HeeHee! \r \r Anyways, great job! Can't wait for H3 either. DIdn't see you on the Beta. Did you play the Beta?